Call for assembly job competition

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The assembly's committee on standards and privileges is to discuss the issue of MLAs employing family members at a meeting next week.

The committee's chairwoman Carmel Hanna from the SDLP has said it is important that the public had confidence in politicians.

The South Belfast assembly member has called for open competition when recruiting for jobs.

"It has to be open, accountable, transparent," Mrs Hanna said.

"A relative may, or may not be, the right person. Don't discriminate against anybody else, don't discriminate against a relative."

Last week, the main parties in the assembly revealed how many of their MLAs employed relatives. Among them was Mrs Hanna, who employs a sister.

No MLA is breaking any law or rule by employing a family member, and the practice is commonplace in all the legislative bodies in the UK.

The decision to list relatives employed follows the Derek Conway affair in the House of Commons